Feeder for coin changers and loaders



Dec. 30, 1941. Y Q ALLARD 2.268,].01

FEEDER FOR COIN CHANGERS AND LOADERS Filed April 23, 1940 151.5 CZ. fl/AE 4/120.

Patented Dec. 30, 1941 OFFICE FEEDER FOR COIN CHANGERS AND LOADERS Able Claire Allard, Baltimore, Md.

Application April 23, 1940, Serial No. 331,259

1 Claim.

This invention refers to coin changers and loaders and more particularly to an auxiliary feeder for same. It has among its objects to provide an auxiliary attachment device suitable for mounting on a conventional type of coinch'anger that will facilitate the feeding of the latter; that will enable manual feeding of coins to the coin changer to be done more quickly and easily than is possible without its use; that will enable coin feeding to be done with the use of one hand; that will be so arranged that the coins will not bind during feeding, but will slide easily and uninterruptedly in the device to coin changer; that will be compact, light and economical to con-. struct; that will be safe to use and operate, and be simple to operate; that will add to the speed and capacity of the coin changer; that will not require any moving parts for the insertion or guiding of the coins to the changer.

Other objects will become apparent as the invention is more fully set forth.

The conventional type of coin changers used by motormen, collectors and others require the use of the thumb and one or morefingers for inser-ting coins in them. This is slow work and causes losses due to the dropping of coins, general confusion and time required. This interferes with the operation of the motorcar, loading of passengers therein, and induces mistakes in making change. Also the motormans attention is diverted from the operation of the car, making him liable to errors, accidents and general inefliciency, This is particularly the case where the coin changer is mounted on the wall of the car some distance from the operator. In this invention an auxiliary device is mounted on the changer or incorporated in same and consists of a cup in which the coins are primarily disposed and then drawn up to an outlet with one of the fingers of the user, so they can drop through into the coin box of the changer. The operator can use either hand and can place the coins in the cup without looking what he is doing in regard thereto. The manipulation of the finger is readily accomplished, as it finds its way into the cup by feeling and through the position and shape of the device. The coins drop through the outlet slot under the influence of gravity, and the cup is positioned horizontally so they will not bind in any way to prevent their discharge into the changer in an edgewise manner. The general functioning of the coin changer is not affected or interfered with.

In the drawing, which illustrates an embodiment of this invention:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a coin changer with the coin loader attachment mounted therei on, one side of changer being removed to show the general relation of the coin loader embodying this invention to the changer;

Figure 2 is a sectional end elevation of Figure 1 on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a detail in perspective of the loader removed from the coin changer; modified in form; r i I Figure 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of coin changer with the coin loader integrally attached thereto;

Figure 6 is a sectional elevation of another conventional coin changer such as used by motormen and collectors. It has a coin cylinder casing usually termed the coin box and indicated at 2. This coin box is mounted vertically in the frame and has a projecting mouth piece 3 having a special slot 4 through which the coins are inserted. It also has a mechanism 5 with a slotted plate 6 situated under the box to receive the coins therefrom and dispense same when the mechanism handle 1 is operated against the resilient tension of its spring member 8.

Mounted on the upper plate 9 of the changer structure is a half-cylindrical cup I0 supported on end plates II and 2| and disposed with its orifice discharge slot l2 over the slot 4 of the coin box. The plates have curved openings l3 and M respectively which serve to allow the finger of the user to insert and propel the coins l5 in the barrel of the cup, when they are laid on edge therein. The guide plate l6 serves to guide the coins through the orifice outlet 12 into the slot 4 of the cylinder 2, as well as position it properly for such movement. The guide plate is designed to suit its position and work. A spring catch I1 is mounted on tho end plate II with its end portion coiled around at l8 to engage under lip l9 formed under the front portion of the changer frame as indicated. The other end plate 2| is provided with a hook member 20 which engages under a lip 22 at the rear of the frame. This hook member is formed to arrange a hinge action to the rear plate 2|, of

coin tube in which the slot 4, is located as indicated in Fig. 1. This contact provides the necessary reaction acting oppositely to that of the upward pull of .the portions l8 and 20 against the lips l9 and 22, and serves to keep the device in place on the coin changer.

The modified form indicated in Figure 5 is similar in general to the structure already outlined in the previous figures, but instead of being attachable and removable it is made integral with its front plate 23 attached to the upper plate 24 of the frame l of the coin changer. The

' rear is open and unsupported as it is stiif enough to carry itself. Its operation is similar to the original form.

In the modified form shown in Figure 6,, the cup is made integral with the top plate 25' of the coin changer frame I, and with the coin box 2 made flush with this plate. The discharge slots in the modified forms are numbered as in the original form for reasons of convenience, and also in regard to the finger openings l3 and H! ex cept that in Figure 5 the front opening [3 is eliminated.

The operation of the device appears to be obvious, from the general outline given by the dotted fingers and coins shown in Figure 1, and will not be described further.

The removable attachment shown in Figure 1 is placed 'on, by hinging the hook member thereof on the lip 22 and curving over until the spring coil catches under the lip l9.

While more than one form of the invention is shown in the drawing, it is not desired to limit this application for patent to such forms, as it is appreciated that other structures using the same principles could be made that would come within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

In combination with a change carrier having a coin tube provided with a coin slot, of a coin guide comprising an open channel cup horizontally disposed and adapted to closely contact a substantial portion of the periphery of the coins to be used therewith when arranged vertically therein, a vertical plate attached to the cup with its lower portion formed to make surface contact with the coin tube of the change carrier at one edge of the coin slot in said tube, said cup being so formed as to provide a space between the plate and the cup for the coins to drop vertically down when brought against the plate in their travel in the cup, the face of the plate and the formed edge of the cup forming guides for the coins to fall past as they drop, and a spring catch fastened to the said plate having a portion adapted to engage under a portion of the carrier to cause the plate to press tightly against the'coin tube andkeep the device rigidly in place on the changer.

ABLE CLAIRE. ALLARD. 

